Attraction and Death
by deadlykitty
Summary: Masaya is no more, but a new romance with Ryou may leave Ichigo even more alone than she could ever imagine. How will she cope with the news that their love may be short? Ryou x Ichigo, of course, I hope you like.
1. Chapter 1

"I see now. The mew aqua is inside me..."Masaya was walking around.

"What?" I asked. He knew about the mew aqua?

"If I use this, what I've destroyed will..." he began, "well, Tokyo will be back to what it was before." he was looking away from me, and it hurt so bad.

"Masaya, what are you saying?" he can't mean...

Two arms wrapped themselves tightly around me. "Just a little bit more... let me hold you for just one second more." What does he mean, he'll use the mew aqua? He can't possibly be thinking... no if he does that, he'll die!

I was thrown back as Masaya battled with Deep Blue inside him. Masaya, to protect me, encased me inside a ball, but that isn't what I want. Why should I be the only one to be protected. The girls, Kish, Masaya, everyone... they can die just so I can live? Even when the attack seemed to stop and Masaya reappeared after being deleted from Deep Blue's consciousness, I didn't want to be protected.

Why?!" Deep Blue screamed, "your role is over now. So why don't you just disappear? Masaya!!"

"I can't disappear yet. Now I know... what to do for Ichigo." he said quietly. His voice sounded as though it were being spoken by a being no longer alive.

'What?' I thought.

"I'm going to release the mew aqua inside Deep Blue. Then hopefully, the world will get back to what it was before."

"Stop talking nonsense!" Deep Blue screamed. It was evident to all that he was terrified to lose his life.

"No!" I pleaded, "Don't Masaya!! Please, no!! It'll kill you if you do such a thing."

He ignored me. "I love you, Ichigo... more than anyone." As he brought the sword down upon his own heart, I have finally able to break out of the barrier protecting me. But it was too late.

Masaya smiled as he fell, the mew aqua releasing itself as his life's blood drained from his body. I clutched him o me, tears falling upon his limp form. As I held him to me, Masaya faded into mist and vanished. As he faded, so did the intense pain filling my heart over the loss of my love. But it didn't hurt the same anymore. I felt as though I'd lost a friend, but the love I had once felt for him disappeared as Masaya did.

- - - - - - - -

Disclaimer: the above comes directly from book 7 as I interpreted. From here on out the ideas are purely my own with a few exceptions, and the charcters aren't mine either.

- - - - - - - -

To celebrate the victory and to mourn Masaya's death, all the mew mews spent the night at the cafe. Every year on that day this is what we have done, in order to honor the memory of Masaya Aoyama. Even after six years, we've never not done so. We all slept on the floor next to each other, even Ryou and Keiichiro. We were just a mess of bodies beneath a few blankets. Ryou and Mint were on either of my sides, Pudding at my head, Lettuce and Zakuro were next to each other at my feet, and Keiichiro slept near pudding at my head.

That night, it wasn't surprising that I couldn't sleep well. I awoke in the middle of the night, and quietly tried t make my way out of the jungle of bodies surrounding me. On the second floor of the cafe is a balcony window, and it was there that I stood for the longest time. I never noticed when Ryou came up beside me.

"Can't sleep?" he asked softly. I knew what he thought. He was sure I was bottling up my emotions and was refusing to cry over the loss of my love.

I shook my head. "Nahh, I was just thinking."

"Hmm? What about? You've gotten up every year. You always come up here, don't you?" He scooted in closer to me so that our arms were touching.

"Yeah. I think about Masaya." I answered simply.

He nodded. "I thought you would be. I'm sorry, Ichigo."

Smiling, I shook my head. "You're wrong. I'm not sad about his death. Well, I am, because he was my friend, but that was it. As he died, my heart didn't hurt the way it should. I've realized why I was so attracted to him." I turned to look at him. "All of us were attracted to one of the five mew aquas. It called to us. Masaya was my mew aqua, and as he vanished, so did my attraction to him. It was the mew aqua calling to me, not him. He was in love with me though, but that may also be because he was the mew aqua. We were bound to each other through that, but now that he's gone, I know that was all it was, all we would be."

Ryou just stood there next to me. For the longest time neither of us said a thing, instead just enjoyed the night and the other's company.

A sudden breeze blew on us, making me shiver. Ryou, who seemed to be fine, looked at me. "You all right?" he asked.

"Yeah," I nodded, "it just got a little colder all of a sudden."

"Do you want to go back downstairs?" he offered.

Shaking my head, I smiled at him. "Nahh, I want to stay up here a little longer." His eyes stared at me intently, seeming to be staring into my depths, wondering what I was thinking.

He moved, and I could feel his arms wrap around me from behind. He just held me to him, his warmth sinking into me. "Then I'll keep you warm," he whispered into my ear. Slowly, he pulled my back from where I was, over to where the balcony was close to the wall. He leaned against the wall, pulling me into him. My arms, which had been hanging loosely at my sides, went up to touch the sides of his. My cheeks were flaming, and my body was warm all over. I looked up at him, and found him still staring down at me intently. His eyes were pulling me into them, his gaze so intense.

I could see nothing but his eyes as they seemed to be moving closer to mine. When his eyes closed the spell was almost broken, but now I could see he had gotten closer, and my own eyes drifted shut as his lips found mine. I joined him in the kiss, and turned around in his arms to wrap my own about his neck, closing the gap between us further.

His lips were soft, and seemed to cover mine perfectly. I could feel something wet going along my bottom lip and opened up to ask him what it was. Ryou seized the moment to push his tongue into my mouth, and my eyes shot open. One moment I was feeling his body covering mine, the next I was falling, and a shocked Ryou was scrambling to catch me.

I was caught and brought up against his body again, but he was so much bigger than me. Darn! I thought angrily to myself, I ruined the moment by turning into a cat!

Burying my head into his chest, I was certain he could tell even in my cat form that I was blushing like none other. Snickering was heard above me, and upon looking up, I saw Ryou laughing his head off.

"You idiot, that isn't what you are supposed to do!" I meowed indignantly at him.

"Well, how was I supposed to know what to do?!" I mewled. "You're the one who kissed me!"

Softly he slid to the floor, taking me with him. The space was kind of cramped, so his knees were up against the balcony. I perched on his stomach so that I could see his face. He stopped laughing, but he still smiled. Softly he began to pet my back, drawing circles in my fur. Slowly, he bent down, and touched his lips to my furry ones. A moment later and my human ones were joined with his, and the hand he'd had behind my cat neck was still behind my once again human one.

The kiss was soft, like the one before. Once again his tongue traced my bottom lip, begging for entrance. Now that I knew what he wanted, I gladly opened up to him, and soon joined my own tongue into the little battle waging inside our mouths. We were locked together, and all was forgotten as we just kissed each other, over and over again.

We were out of breath when the kiss actually ended, but I didn't move from my spot. When I had become human again my legs went on either side of Ryou's lap, and my arms became snaked around his shoulder's again as we kissed. My skirt had risen and lay disheveled on my upper thighs, and I sat purely on him. I was only all too aware of what was between my legs. Ryou, who had been stroking my neck ad back, let his arms fall lower, so that his hands grasped either side of my waist.

We just stayed like that for the longest time. When it seemed an eternity had passed, Ryou spoke. "What about me? Are you attracted to me for me, or for some other reason? Don't tell me you aren't. You wouldn't kiss me back if you don't feel anything like that for me." He'd pulled me away from him so that I looked directly into his eyes.

"Ryou..." a cough to our sides caused both of us to look up at a bemused Pudding. She had her mischievious grin in place, and both Ryou and I knew we were screwed!

Both of us clambered up andbegan chasing pudding around the cafe as she sang loudly "Ryou and Ichigo sitting in a tree..." and so on. By that time everyone else had awakened and were watching with amusement. When Ryou and I ran out of energy we were bombarded from the others. Keiichiro took him over to the other side while the girls surrounded me.

"Just what have you two been doing?!" Mint asked, "getting it on this early in the day??"

"They were! They were! Naughty girl!" Pudding shouted happily.

"My ..." was all Lettuce said on the matter.

Zakuro still had the blank expression she usually held, but asked sensibly "Are you all right?"

I looked up at her. "Huh? Why do you ask? Do you mean about Masaya?" she nodded. "You don't need to worry about that anymore. I've known I wasn't really in love with him the day he died. I was only attracted to the mew aqua inside him. I'm still sad because he was my friend, but I'm not depressed. I've moved on. And been in love with someone else for the longest time now." I stared over in the direction of Ryou. He had a serious expression, and so did Keiichiro.

Mint slapped me on the back. "So long as you're happy, lovebird. But don't let this guy die! We'll be out of a job!"she joked.

We all laughed, and soon the two men had joined us again. Ryou touched my shoulder. "Come see me later, all right?" he whispered, "I have something to tell you. It's important." I nodded, and he walked over to talk to Lettuce and Zakuro. Keiichiro stood next to me.

"I wish the two of you happiness, Ichigo." he smiled at me softly. "Protect him, please." he left and soon I was being dragged around by Pudding to learn a new trick with her. The seriousness with which Keiichiro had spoken bothered me, but I didn't pay any mind to it just then. I would talk to Ryou later, and when I did, I would tell him that I loved him. I hadn't even been sure of it until tonight. When he had come to stand with me on the balcony, I had longed for him, and realized just how deeply I was in love with him.

- - - - - - - - - - -

That night, after everyone else had gone home after work I slipped behind, going silently up the stairs to Ryou's room. I didn't have to worry about being home late anymore. I was eighteen and out on my own.

I knocked lightly on the door with my left and. My right held a plate of onigiri for us to share.

No one answered, so I let myself in. The light was on in a room attached to Ryou's main bedroom. I could hear the shower water running as I gently crossed the room to his bed. In all the times I'd been in there, it had never changed, holding only his bed and a desk with a computer atop it.

I put the plate on the desk and sat myself down on his bed to wait. It wasn't long until the water had shut off and his door was opening. Ryou stepped out of the room wearing only his pants but he had a towel around his neck. The only other thing adorning his body was the choker he'd been wearing ever since I met him.

"Ichigo..." he said with mild surprise, "why am I not surprised?"

"Hmm..." I amswered, "maybe because you told me to see you?" smiling at him, I stood up to go to him.I snuggled into the arms that wrapped around me.

"Ryou..." I murmured. His body was warm from having just taken a shower, and slightly damp still. I didn't care that the shirt I was wearing was getting wet from being pushed up against his bare skin. After only a few moments Ryou's stomach growled, and his cheek, which had been resting on my forehead grew warmer.

"Sorry," he mumbled, "I haven't eaten yet.

I giggled. "I know. I brought some onigiri for us to share." Gently I pulled away but grabbed his hand as I led him to the bed. As he sat I picked up the plate and set it on the bed in between us.

"You always have made the best onigiri," he said. He took one of the small balls and bit into it, leaving a large chunk missing. I took one as well and ate slowly, letting the majority of the pile go to Ryou. We didn't talk much while we ate, merely watched the other. When the plate was empty Ryou replaced it on the desk. When he came back to the bed he sat up close to me, taking one of my hands in his.

"Ichigo," he whispered. Softly, he placed a chaste kiss on my lips, but didn't hold it. "I love you, I really do. I need to know if you love me, too."

My face flamed at his sudden confession, though I had half expected it. After those kisses earlier and the last comment before Pudding had walked in on us. "Me, too, Ryou, I love you ,too. And I planned on telling you now anyway. But what is so important? Why are you and Keiichiro so serious about this?"

"Because I'm about to die..."

- - - - - - - - - -

Now that has got to be one hell of a cliffie. Don't worry, I won't leave you with it for long. The next chapter will be up soon. By the way, same rule with this fic as I have with the others. I will NOT update until I've gotten five reviews, or if I'm tired of waiting on you guys. My reason for this rule is that on my most popular fics, they have around twenty reviews, and a few thousand hits. My most popular has I think just under fifty reviews, and over 2500 hits. Now isn't that ridiculous? I write for the people, not for myself. So if you like it, tell me, if you hate it, tell me what you hate, and I'll try to fix it if I'm able. Or if you're just a turkey and tell me you hate it for no reason, well, 'nuf said. But no one has hated my stuff yet, so I thinkI'm doing good. I hope you enjoyed this, the next chapter will hopefully be out soon.


	2. Chapter 2

Sorry about the long wait, been busy, been sick, been lazy... sigh. Really sorry everybody. Anyway, on to the story!

By the way, I'm pretty certain I have them pretty OOC, but Oh well, it fits the story line anyway.

Disclaimer: Nope, still not mine... oh, well.

- - - - -

"Ichigo," he whispered. Softly, he placed a chaste kiss on my lips, but didn't hold it. "I love you, I really do. I need to know if you love me, too."

My face flamed at his sudden confession, though I had half expected it. After those kisses earlier and the last comment before Pudding had walked in on us. "Me, too, Ryou, I love you ,too. And I planned on telling you now anyway. But what is so important? Why are you and Keiichiro so serious about this?"

"Because I'm about to die..."

I was shocked. Die? Him? No, he can't be serious...

"You're not... serious, are you? Please, tell me this is just your idea of a cruel joke! I can't lose you now..." tears streamed my face as he held me close to him. He was stroking my back, trying to console me.

"Ichigo..." he whispered, "I may not die, but if it is to be stopped I need your help. Look at my heart. Closely." I was pushed back just slightly, so that my eyes could focus on his skin. A dark spot, which I hadn't noticed before was just barely visible on the taut skin.

The spot itself was almost like a bruise, a light purple color that just barely makes itself known on his skin. Softly, I put my lips to his heart, and kissed the spot. Ryou merely sat there while I did, and when I was done he pulled me to lay in his lap. No words needed to be said. We just stayed like that until we fell asleep in each others' arms.

- - - - -

He awoke before I did, opening the curtain to let in the sunshine. It was those gentle rays of light that stirred me, his gentle kiss that opened my eyes.

At first I didn't remember what I was doing there, but seeing the purple mark still on his chest helped me to remember all that had happened yesterday, signalling the tears to come again. Ryou merely pulled me into his embrace, wiping the tears away with his tongue. When he had finished, he kissed my forehead.

"Don't worry so much, Ichigo. We'll find a way to save me, and when we do..." he trailed off.

I pressed him to continue. "And when we do?"

Laughing, he just said "You'll find out then." Leaning towards me he attempted to kiss my lips, but instead hit my cheek as I turned away from him.

"Oh, come on, you expect me to just kiss you when you say you're not going to me? Nope." I stepped out of his arms, putting a small pout on my face as I turned around, pretending to be annoyed.

"Ichigo!" he sounded exasperated. "Please?"

Slowly I turned my head, raising an eye brow at him. "Please what?"

"You know what!"

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't." I turned from him again and started walking slowly toward the door. "But if you don't tell me, then I'll just have to-"

Suddenly I was grabbed around the middle as Ryou picked me up, my arms trapped. "Oh, no you don't!" He carried me over to the bed and dropped me on it, climbing on top of me while pinning my wrists over my head and my legs with his own. "You're not leaving me just like that. Now, where was I before you turned away? Oh, yes. Right..." he was mere inches from my face as he whispered the last word "here."

Slowly his lips captured mine again, gently massaging my mouth with his. Before long I dared to deepen the kiss by entangling my tongue with his. He hastily applied, searching my mouth as I tried to do the same to his. My wrists were released as he started roaming his hands all over my body. My hands started to wander his chest, tracing his abs and playing with the little points of his nipples. His own hands were busy groping my stomach and rump, slowly going to my breasts. When first he cupped them I couldn't help moaning into the kiss. Every caress he made was gentle, every touch he made to my body left me wanting more.

Eventually we ended up flipping over, so that I lay straddleing his waist, my arms to either side of his head. I was playing with his hair as he slowly started to kiss down my chin to my throat. I could feel him perfectly between my legs as he grew aroused.

My skirt had hiked up again, so that it barely covered my butt at all. Ryou was busying himself with stroking my butt with one hand and playing in my hair with the other. His hand had just started to raise my skirt up when a knock sounded on the door. It was Keiichiro.

"Ryou! Are you awake yet? May I come in?"

I scrambled off of him as we hurriedly straightened our clothing and everything. Ryou pointed to the bathroom door, and as quietly as I could I ran over and shut the door behind me. Just as it was shutting I heard Ryou call out "come in." and another door open.

Noise was muffled through the door, so much that I couldn't hear more than that they were talking. I took the time to straighten out my clothes a little more, and check to see if I had any little 'marks' on my skin. He'd been busy! My lips looked bruised, and my neck had several of them in the little area he had been working with. My shirt managed to cover all of them, surprisingly enough.

Ten minutes must have passed or so, before Ryou came into the bathroom. His room looked empty behind him, but it was his expression that had me worried. His eyes were down cast, a smile anywhere but upon his face. In just a moment he stood next to me, looking straight into the mirror. I followed the line of sight his eyes made, and wound up staring at his chest. The purple mark was more noticable than ever.

"Damn it." he growled, "we shouldn't have done that."

I was confused. "done what? Kiss? Surely that didn't cause..."

"It did. It's part of the curse I'm under. It's why I won't live very long. Keiichiro knows what we were doing, it was evident when he saw how much darker the spot is."

Then... we can't kiss? "When we kissed, it got darker? But... how would that even work? And, who... who cursed you?"

Ryou turned to face me. "You know the story of my parents death. It was that same chimera anima that did it. It cursed me to be alone in the end, to make my beloved suffer. the more I do anything physical with them the darker the spot will become. Once it is black, it will have completely eaten my heart. Just a simple kiss... and it shortens my life. If I hold you... damn it." his hand had reached out to caress my cheek, but stopped just short of touching me.

"Then... we can't..."

He shook his head. "I can't show you how much I love you. Keiichiro and I had known it would happen, when I first kissed you as Alto, to change you back. When I fell in love with you I doomed myself."

Tears were threatening to fall again, but I held them back. Instead, I looked up, staring directly into his eyes, and saw the determination shining through the reflection. "then we just have to find the cure to the curse. We can wait, right? I mean, so what if we can't be intimate right now? When we find it we'll have gotten so close it will be even more special, more passionate."

He was staring at me. Slowly, he smiled at me. "You're right. It will."

I smiled back before going to the door. "So, shall we start searching?"

"Yeah."

Keiichiro was waiting for us in the basement. He saw the determined expressions worn by both of us, and sighed. "I have some bad news, you two."

Crap, what now?

- - - - -

Well, what'd ya think? Not. Ok, that sucked as a chapter, I know, I lost my train of thought so many times I was wondering if I should just stop and wait awhile. Then I decided, nah. May as well just see where I can take this. I hope you liked it, and please review. I need to know what you think so I can write another chapter (even if that may take me awhile to get out). I still require five reviews or there is no update, whether they are flames or praise.


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry it's been so long! I've been busy as crp, busyer, actually, and school has finally let out, allowing me some free time. Anyways, please enjoy!

Disclaimer: TMM is not mine. No fancy disclaimer today.

Crap. What now?

Keiichiro turned back to his computer screens, typing like mad as he began to speak. "We have another new enemy. Aliens again, but it's not Kish. The motive so far is vague, but our former enemies seem to be at the heart of it. They are attacking the zoo at this moment."

I nodded. "I'll get there as soon as I can. Ryou, wake the other girls, we'll need their help."

"He shook his head, Keiichiro can get to them faster. I'm gong with you." Before I could protest he was already running with me up the steps that led directly from the lab to the outdoors. It was an emergency exit, used only in such crises as this one. "Hurry up and transform, they could attack at any time!"

Nodding, I did so, and as soon as we managed to get outside I had to pause, unable to move. There, standing not even ten feet from us, stood the one I never thought I'd see again. Ryou stood just as immobile as I was as we stared in disbelief at the figure.

There, standing in the flesh, was Masaya.

Or at least it looked like Masaya. There was something about the way he looked at me that told me otherwise.

"Ichigo..." he whispered, taking a step forward, "it's been awhile. I've missed you."

My heart hurt. I missed him too, even if I no longer loved him, and the fact that though his eyes said I love you his body told me something else.

"Stop right there." I choked out, not at all as composed as I wanted myself to be.

He did, playing the part well. His face became a mask of confusion, and though I did not glance at him I knew Ryou was confused, too.

"Whoever you are, take off your mask. You're not Masaya." my voice gained strength as I told myself over and over again in my mind that my words were true.

A sad smile came to his face. "Have you forgotten me already, Ichigo? It was only six years ago when last I was here... didn't you think of me at all?"

"Of course I thought about him! But he'd dead! The real Masaya died in my arms six years ago. He couldn't be standing in front of me, so don't lie to me!" it was painful to see someone sully his name by tainting his image, and it felt like my heart was being squeezed.

Ryou flinched beside me. I hadn't told him just how close I'd been to him when Masaya had died. He'd probably assumed I'd watched Deep Blue kill him or something. I knew Ryou had been in love with me years ago, and it didn't help to know that every time I went to Masaya had been a dagger in his chest.

"You wound me, Ichigo. But part of what you say is true. I did die in your arms that day, but not for _long_."

If my heart could stop merely by hearing everything that they were saying, it would have just then. "You mean you came back?"

"I was brought back, by my loyal followers. Kish, on the other hand, held no part in it and will be executed for his treason after I have dealt with this little trouble down here."

Ryou spoke. "What trouble?"

Masaya smirked evilly, and I knew who it was possessing his body then. "Ryou look out!" I flung myself at him, knocking him out of the way of the attack Deep Blue had just thrown at where Ryou had been standing.

"Oh, just the trouble of you all being alive!"

He charged us, and it was all I could do to place my bell up as a shield as an invisible sword sliced down on me. It took more strength than I had to keep the sword at bay, and I was slowly falling. Out of no where something hard and heavy slammed itself into my stomach, knocking me backwards as I struggled for breath. He'd kicked me while I wasn't paying attention.

Air was still denying when he walked back up to me, raising the sword as he went. He was going to kill me here and now, wearing the face of my old love. My eyes shut as I cringed, preparing myself for the blow. It didn't come.

Peeking, I saw the colors blue, purple, green, and yellow standing in front of me.

"Mind if we join in?" Mint asked, winking at me over her shoulder.

Ryou had crawled over to me, trying to support me as I slowly regained the functioning of my lungs. My eyes widened in horror as I looked over the girls. "Above you!" I screamed, but it was too late. The attack had been sent.

Ok, very crappy place to end this, and its so much shorter than the other two chapters, but I'm honestly running out of ideas for a couple of my fanfics, this one included. Maybe when I've slept some I can write another chapter and get my muse back, but until then, I hope this can at least be a appetizer. Thanks for reading, please leave me at least five reviews for an update, for my rule still stands! Thank you!!


	4. Chapter 4

Short chapter I know, but I'm out of ideas. Sorry guys. Hope this can tide you over.

Disclamer: TMM is not mine. Duh.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

It was over almost as soon as it began. Around me everyone lay unmoving. To my relief, none were dead, merely injured. I don't know what it was exactly that hit us, it looked like a beam of light, in a bright green color.

Slowly, I managed to stand up. My breathing had returned, and the light had missed me, mostly. My leg burned in pain, but I tried to ignore it, and instead faced who I now knew to be Deep Blue in disguise.

He glared, mockingly, at me. "One... kitten... left."

Achingly, I took a step back. There was nothing I could do to save myself, the girls, or Ryou...

Wait. Ryou? Where is he?!

To my relief and horror, I saw him, standing behind Deep Blue, glaring daggers at him. My opponent followed my gaze and turned his head in time to find his cheek connect with Ryou's fist. Followed by his foot. And the other foot went to his throat as he fell over.

My jaw just dropped. Ryou had beat the crap out of Deep blue like it was nothing.

Staggering, the Masaya impersonator stood up, and failed to stay upright. He mumbled something unintelligible, and soon we were watching as he fazed out of sight.

Ryou walked over to me. "Are you all right?"

I nodded. "Better than the girls at least. Come on, we need to get them inside, and I'll be heading over to the zoo. We don't have much time,"

Despite the pain in my injured leg, I managed to get lettuce and Pudding into the cafe, while Ryou took care o the other three. Soon I was on my way to the other cause of distress, knowing it to likely be an unwinnable battle.

* * * * *

It was close to midnight when I managed to get back to the cafe. The zoo had been abandoned by the aliens, but they'd left their kirema anima for me to clean up. It was exhausting, tricky, and time consuming work. All of the zoo's animals it seemed had been changed, the outdoor ones, at least.

Ryou was waiting for me when I limped through the door. As soon as I was over the threshold my leg collapsed beneath me, leaving a worried Ryou to catch me.

Without a word, he caught me, and carried me up to his bedroom. As gently as he could, he laid me on the bed and gathered up a washcloth and a few bandages. I was almost unable to feel his hands moving across my skin as he cleaned the wounds, and soothed the aching muscles of my legs.

"The others are all right," he murmured, after awhile. "They've been taken home. The flash of light seemed to stun them the most, and burned their skin a bit. Lettuce got the worst of it, and has been ordered to stay home until she's completely healed. She can't become a mew until then. I also called your parents a few hours ago. I told them that we were having a longer memorial party than usual. They said it's all right. They are actually going to be going to Kyoto for the week, a spontaneous trip of some sort, so they've given you permission to stay here." He stopped rubbing my leg, and looked at me. "I'm sorry."

I shook my head, eyes closed. "It's not your fault. Nothing that happened can be blamed on any of us, least of all you."

A soft knock sounded on the door. Keiichiro entered. The two men spoke for a moment, in low voices. Through my tired haze I was unable to tell much of what they said. It seemed to be about me, though.

I was almost asleep when the door shut again, announcing the departure of Keiichiro. Ryou came back to the bed and stretched out beside me.

He sighed. "This is a mess, Ichigo."

"How so now?" my voice was slurred.

"Nothing new... yet. It's just everything. Masaya, I mean Deep Blue is back, Kish is going to need our help sooner or later, so he'll be back soon. Lettuce is unable to fight, and the rest of you girls can barely stand yourselves. Especially you, with your leg."

Weakly I lifted my hand and shook it, as if dismissing the notion. "I'll be fine. Just need some sleep..."

Another sigh. "-And some time. But we'll worry about that in the morning."

"Good night, Ryou." I mumbled, already dozing off.

I felt a slight warmth on my face, and realized he'd caressed my cheek in response.

* * * * *

Ok, very crappy ending place, but people, I'm seriously in need of muses now. I don't know what to write! I'm out of ideas on some of my stories. It might take me awhile, but please give me time and eventually my ideas will come back! Thanks! And please review if you want an update!


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